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05-11-2003, 11:18 AM
ALLEN PARK, Mich. - Heading into the off-season, Detroit Lions president and CEO Matt Millen knew something had to be done with the team's receiving unit following the 2002 season.
Part of the concern was that the Lions lacked playmaking ability from the receivers, but the team addressed that with the additions of Charles Rogers, David Kircus and Travis Anglin in the 2003 NFL Draft.
While adding to the unit with fresh young talent, the Lions also had another issue in the health of Az-Zahir Hakim to address.
Based on all indications, Hakim is set to be 100 percent recovered from a dislocated hip in time for the 2003 season.
"From what I am told, he is pretty much out of the woods," Millen said. "We are already watching him and he is doing everything. The quickness is all there. He is actually in better shape than he was."
Hakim suffered the injury on a 14-yard shuffle pass from Joey Harrington early in the first quarter against the New York Jets on Nov. 17. He left the game after the play and was placed on the Reserved/Injured list on Nov. 19.
In addition to the dislocation, Hakim also suffered a partial break to the bone when he landed. The recovery, which is fully complete, did not require surgery. The prescribed remedy was rest and rehabilitation.
Millen said Hakim could have participated in the mini-camp last weekend, but the Lions intentionally held him out to make sure he has a full recovery.
"We are being very conservative with him," Millen said. "At the next camp, he'll start to do things there. I hardly worry about him at all. He is ready to do everything. We just held him out of this camp."
The health of Hakim gives the Lions a big boost to the receiving unit that features a lot of youth.
With Rogers, the second-overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, taking over the 'Z' position, the Lions will look to use Hakim's speed and playmaking ability out of the slot.
"He will stay in the slot," Millen said. "That is where he will line up when we are three-wide. He is still going to play on first and second downs."
As it stands following the mini-camp, Hakim is expected to start along with Rogers and Bill Schroeder in three-wide sets. Yet, the Lions want to rotate these three along with either Kircus, Anglin, or veteran Scotty Anderson.
http://www.detroitlions.com/news/index.cfm?cont_id=180408&right_include=/includes/notebook_module.cfm
Part of the concern was that the Lions lacked playmaking ability from the receivers, but the team addressed that with the additions of Charles Rogers, David Kircus and Travis Anglin in the 2003 NFL Draft.
While adding to the unit with fresh young talent, the Lions also had another issue in the health of Az-Zahir Hakim to address.
Based on all indications, Hakim is set to be 100 percent recovered from a dislocated hip in time for the 2003 season.
"From what I am told, he is pretty much out of the woods," Millen said. "We are already watching him and he is doing everything. The quickness is all there. He is actually in better shape than he was."
Hakim suffered the injury on a 14-yard shuffle pass from Joey Harrington early in the first quarter against the New York Jets on Nov. 17. He left the game after the play and was placed on the Reserved/Injured list on Nov. 19.
In addition to the dislocation, Hakim also suffered a partial break to the bone when he landed. The recovery, which is fully complete, did not require surgery. The prescribed remedy was rest and rehabilitation.
Millen said Hakim could have participated in the mini-camp last weekend, but the Lions intentionally held him out to make sure he has a full recovery.
"We are being very conservative with him," Millen said. "At the next camp, he'll start to do things there. I hardly worry about him at all. He is ready to do everything. We just held him out of this camp."
The health of Hakim gives the Lions a big boost to the receiving unit that features a lot of youth.
With Rogers, the second-overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, taking over the 'Z' position, the Lions will look to use Hakim's speed and playmaking ability out of the slot.
"He will stay in the slot," Millen said. "That is where he will line up when we are three-wide. He is still going to play on first and second downs."
As it stands following the mini-camp, Hakim is expected to start along with Rogers and Bill Schroeder in three-wide sets. Yet, the Lions want to rotate these three along with either Kircus, Anglin, or veteran Scotty Anderson.
http://www.detroitlions.com/news/index.cfm?cont_id=180408&right_include=/includes/notebook_module.cfm